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Red Flags of Handwriting Difficulties
A pencil grasp that does not match your child's age appropriate grasp or
2 checks total suggest your child may benefit from Handwriting intervention.
Pencil Grasp
Appropriate Age
Developmental Grasp
18 months and younger
2 - 3 years
3 1/2 - 4 years
4 1/2 years and older
Additional Red Flag Grasps
Red Flags
Changes their pencil grasp throughout a drawing/writing task
Their hand gets tired during a writing task
Frequently asks to write in marker or pen
Has trouble aligning falling letters (g, j, p, q, y) on the line
Has trouble spacing between words or letters within a word
Forms their letters with bottom-to-top strokes or in segments/parts
Dislikes or avoids writing
Has trouble remembering letters/numbers and how to form them
More then 25% of their writing sits above or below the base line (bottom line)
Has trouble consistently writing letters the right size (short letters stop at the dotted middle line, tall letters stop at the top line)
Not using an age appropriate pencil grasp
Changes their writing hand within a task
Does not have a solid hand dominance by age 5
Their writing is difficult to read
Anchor 1
Uses light or dark pencil pressure to write
Writes some letters or numbers backwards (reversals)
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